Our first painting holiday! Day six

The Market and Abbey.

Grafitti at L' Abbaye

Hot, hot, hot!



Left the house at 9.30 to attend the market in Gavray and do sketchbook work. Some wonderful characters to draw and the cattle too. Lots of ducklings for sale. The girls just propped themselves up and lots of sketching began. The locals were very interested and came up and peered over our shoulders. You could hear them telling each other that we were art students on holiday here.


Fresh bread and fruit purchased we make our way to L'Abbaye de Hambye. After some negotiation from the wonderful Sandy we are allowed to stay during there closed period and have the place to ourselves for 2 hours before the paying public enter.



Beautiful day. Plenty if not too much to see, do and paint.


'Such a lovely day - much enjoyed the market. We all did lots of mini-sketches of people and animals. Then on to L'Abbaye and an afternoon of painting. Very difficult, lots of perspective. Super picnic. Then return to house for swimming under Janet's tuition and a a summer supper in the garden.' (RS)

On the way home, Janet, Sandy, Claire and Diana take a detour - the scenic route. (not to be confused with getting lost on the way home.......!!!!) Somebody had swollen ankles, so rests them on the seat infront - hence Sandy has ear muffs!


The Wine Cup House! Near Hambye.

Alison cooks another feast;

Starter; Bulgar wheat, celery and asparagus with prawns.

Main; Pepper stuffed lamb or stuffed round courgettes with
roast potatoes and lettuce and peas.

Pud; Chocolate cake with Strawberries fresh from Gavray Market.....Deeeelicious!

Our first painting holiday! Day five.

Free day, but most decide to paint at house.

'No electricity, but I discover I CAN draw!' (DH)

'We heard the Cuckoo again today.' (AF)
'What a treat!' (RS)

The Cuckoo was extremely vocal and intermittently sang all day.

Diana and Janet decide to draw the house in continuous line.
Sandy goes up to the top track to paint. Rosie painting house and then foxgloves and daisies.
Audrey practising her negatives in the morning and then a very successful painting down the front of the house, difficult perspective.

Our first painting holiday! Day four.

Gay Paris? Coutances est plein de jeunes amants!

(Some excerpts from journal)

'Wonderful breakfast - after a fruitless journey to Legronne for bread and Croissants, the shop was in liquidation! So off to Gavray - wonderful Boulangerie et Patisserie.
Coutances today and Le Jardin de Plantes - created by a watercolourist. Hot, beautiful. The first 2 people that we talk to come from Portland.' (CT)


The gardener (I contacted them to ask if it was okay for us to visit, they were the only place that had replied) apporached to chat and I completely forgot all of my french lesson!! So disappointed in myself! All I could remember was that we were English art students! They were very pleased to have us though.


'Hard day painting, worked through the pain and came away with something that could turn out well. wonderful supper, an evening out for everyone and my first Calvados! Not to be repeated soon! But the laughter sees us through anything. Jeans are beginning to feel very tight!' (DH)

'Great painting day in gardens at Coutance in hot sunshine. Returned home to shower and out for the evening meal at local restaurant -v good and party fever!' (RS)

'Painting down a shady path. Sandy saw a lot of Frech activity - a very amorous couple suddenly became aware that they could be seen from the path below them. Alison and Janet discovered a liking for Normandy Kir - cider and cassis and also Calvados!' (SR)

Rosie and Claire has Morecombe and Wise aspirations on the way home! On return from the pub we had to admire and marvel at Alison's amazing discovery in the supermarket....... compressed j-cloths!' (SR)

'Love is in the air, Le Jardin de plantes was awash with young lovers, on the bench a young man read to his girl, they were hiding behind corners and openly amorous!' (CT)

Our lovely chef! Alison.


Bar de l'Etang, Gremisnil

Scallops
Toasted Goats Cheese

Salmon in Sorrel sauce
Duck and Apple

Creme Brulee
Chocolate Mousse
Fudge Brownie and Ice cream
'Janet walking home; (I should point out that this is after a Normandy Kir, wine and calvados!)
'I need a cup of tea! My mouths so dry coz I have had my mouth open panting'! Best not ask!!

Our first painting holiday! Day three.

Blissful and cold!

(Excerpts from journal)

'Rosie and I left at 7.20 am on the bikes for St Denis le Gast. Wonderful morning, birdsong, only a couple of cars. We tied the brad to the handlebars. Invigorating. Called out to wake the house on our return. Alison and Janet appear at their windows to greet us.'

Wonderful bike ride for Rosie and I, fresh air, lovely roads, we wish we could do this everyday at home too. I make a comment in the Boulangerie that it is not good about Annelka being sent home. We have heard very little news but did see this on the paper. We then worry that perhaps they think I said it was good!!! Oh dear! Rosie gets chatted to by a dear French local and is flabbergasted that she does not understand a thing. We finally work out that she is saying that perhaps the weather will be better today. We hope so.

'Painting at La Ballaine - no - L'Abbaye de l'Hambye. So much to choose from. We need another week to capture this Normandy countryside. Another Aqua-aerobics class. We should be fit by the end of the week, but may be heavier after eating all of Alison's delicious food.
Paintings are all so different and some very exciting images appearing.
More hilarity and varied topics at the dinner table.' (SR)

'Great bike ride with Claire - early! Missed the swim in the evening cos I was exhausted. Tomorrow is another day. Delicious supper, veggie flan and Raspberry Ice cream.' (RS)

'Warning! Pampas grass can be very sharp, especially when outside sandy's front door!!' (AF)

We get to La Baleine to find a host of Motorcyclists, becuase it is so narrow, I decide to move on and we end up at L'Abbaye. After a walk and a discussion, we all end up in the picnic area painting the river and the bridge. Janet is stumped. I suggest she takes her pen and notebook and just concentrates on a continuous line drawing, following the shapes and lines in a natural flow rather than focussing solely on perspective and the objects themselves. After an hour or so I find that she has produced the most exquisite little illustration of the bridge. Janet is also delighted and starts on a whole seriers of continuous line paintings.



We stop to have cheeses and meats again for lunch, lovely.

We continue until about 4 when everyone begins to flag and we make our way back to the house.

Menu;

Sweetcorn chowder with spicy butter (Otto Lenghi!)

Veg and 2 cheese tart

Homemade raspberry ice cream, cherries and alison's shortbread!

Absolutely fabulous!

We finish with an art crit in the lounge.

Our first painting holiday! Day two.

(Some excerpts from journal)

Oh no! It's raining!

Well, what do you least want or expect on your first day? Yes, it rained! So all plans change and after a sumptuous breakfast of fresh fruit, muesli, yoghurt and coffee to get us going, I set up 2 rooms with a still life and some go out in the side building to paint the great outdoors. We hope that the weather will clear by lunchtime.

'Raining! Rosie up last!' (CT)

'Lots of hard work done. Lunch outside. Mini exhibition at end of very productive day. After supper - parlour games - drawing peopleby not looking at the paper (under the table) and with a continuous line. Some bizarre and hilarious results!' (SR)

'Painting at house. Claire arranged still life for us inside. Busy, fun morning and outside in the afternoon, followed by amazing swim in the pool with Janet's Aqua- aerobic instructions. Pool is wonderfully warm. Alison is working so hard for us in the kitchen producing delicious meals.' (RS)



'pm Sat/Sun am. Things that go bump in the night. Claire and Alison (who are sharing the little girls dorm) meet on the stairs in total darkness and scare each other badly. Then dissolve into giggles and behave very badly, despite probably waking everybody else. Can't get to sleep for hours and have girly chat in our dorm!' (AF)


Menu;

Lunch; Cheeses, cold meats and salads. LAison had a hectic morning - could not get ingredients again and ended up at Le Clerc, the other side of Coutances. Finally arrived back and a little more relaxed now that she has everything she needs.

Supper; Goats cheese and roast veg salad
Lebanese lemony chicken,
Bulgar wheat with fennel and aubergine
Fish for veggies

Apple cinnamon tart with Creme Fraiche (epaisse! that is important as only Alison and I know too well!)

Our first painting holiday! Day one.

The Journey. (Excerpts have also been taken from the La Germiniere diary, which participating artists contributed to.)

'Friday 18th June. Up at the crack of dawn and off to meet a group of delightful ladies with whom I am about to spend a week. The house is magnificent and already I am certain we are going to have a splendid time.' (DH)

''After an uneventful crossing, the mini convoy arrived to discover the supermarket just closing at noon. Lunch in Gavray. House delightful. Claire and alison went to stock up and we explored the area with a lovely walk to the village. Excellent and delicious meal and lots of talk, a great start to the week' (SR)

'Claire and Alison had fun in the supermarket testing their french skills...' - oh so quickly attained on the Monday before we left - thankyou Veronique! ''sal','doux','demi-sal' - NNNNOOOOO we just want unsalted!!...nevermind' (CT)

3 cars, 8 people, 1 by 1 we congregated and finally in a convoy made our way to Poole and the Ferry for a 7.15 departure. As always Poole Harbour, Sandbanks, Shellbay, Brownsea Island and Old harry did not disappoint. What a wonderful vision for our foreign visitors arriving here.
Crossing smooth, most had a little snooze and hardy Alison say on deck for most of journey and read.

At the other end we pulled in, Jane hopped into Audrey's car to give her some company on the journey down. Arrived in Gavray, just south of Coutances at 12, Supermarket just closing - lunch for our artists? Found a local cafe and sat outside for a light bite. Warm but a cold breeze. Eventually arrived at house an hour early, but Estelle welcomed us and went us straight to our rooms to make beds and sort out our wordly possessions. I sent everyone off to do some sketching while Alison and I do a Supermarket shop to stock up.

We have an hilarious time trying to work out Alison's ingredients in French and bombard one particular girl who is particularly helpful! We come back laden - but not with all the things that Alison needs. She has to quickly adapt her menu and worries about how she is going to get the ingredients - fresh herbs etc. Her car boot is full of pans and boxes of all the herbs and spices from home. Extremely well prepared.

Some have had a lovely walk, whilst others are sat in the garden sketching. As we leave A to sort out the kitchen, we have a painting demo and then head to the heated pool where Janet gives an Aqua Aerobics class. Where I have the full attention of my students, I cannot admit to being a good one myself and am one of the giggling culprits that disrupt this wonderful class! Some things do not change!

Rosie finds she is washed away everytime she attempts an exercise and we dissolve into giggles! Fabulous though. Great way to end the day.

'Everyone enjoying learning Aqua-robics and being really good at it.' (really Janet? was this another group? 'Tops and bottoms coming off in the water with all the effort... we will go home very fit, or fit to drop!' (JPL)

Menu

Afternoon tea - and A's homemade shortbread.

Evening meal - Avocado salad
Trout and lentils
Santiago cake and Ice cream (Again, A made the cake in preparation!)

Rosie announced that she would be up VERY early for a cup of tea. ('Cheeky!' RS)

Riding in on a wave!

I have just returned from a week in Normandy. I took 6 students and a friend, who is a fabulous cook, on a painting holiday.We had a wonderful adventure and lots of work was achieved. I am all in a daze today. Both tired, and wondrous that the week went so smoothly, I return home to normality - the shopping, the cooking and washing! It feels as though last week was just a dream!

The nice part of a home coming are the hugs and family banter - and the gentle meander I have taken, both in the evening and in the morning, around my garden, perusing my little babes. When I left last Friday, my new purple rose was in bud and I have come home to find it in full bloom. I have dead headed the milky white, double bloom roses outside my shed, lifted them to my nose and longingly purred over the soft pink - peach centre that washes away with their unfolding. I have staked the Canterbury bells and new delphiniums, I have cut the dead stem of my new foxglove 'Serendipity' and rewound the sweet peas around the trellis. As I water, I plan all the other plants I could buy from the money launderers purporting to be Haskins and Cranborne Garden Centre - the Philidelphus (?) that I smelt yesterday in Rosie's garden and an Albertine for the back door.




Normandy was a place of openness, of long roads and no traffic, rolling fields and sun rises that filtered gently through the trees and along the fields, that whispered to you of it's wholesomeness, and a promise that you could get lost for ever in it's spacious glory.

But though I am weary for that kind of freedom, I would much rather arrive in an English country garden than anywhere on earth.xx

The story of our painting adventure will come to you shortly!!xx